Ken haedrich's stewed figs with fennel

1 batch

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 cups ;Water
⅓ cup Honey
¼ cup Ruby port wine
¾ pounds Dried figs
1 Long wide (abt. 3\") strip of lemon zest
½ teaspoon Fennel seeds, crushed, plus
A few whole seeds to garnish

Directions

Heat the water, honey and port in a medium-sized, nonreactive (not cast iron or aluminum) saucepan. Remove stems from the figs. Cut the figs in half lengthwise, then stir them into the liquid along with lemon zest and fennel seeds. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat and simmer about 20 minutes, partially covered. Stir them occasionally, but do it gently so you don't push the soft seedy centers out of the figs; this is unavoidable to some extent, but you don't want to overdo it.

Remove fig mixture from the heat, then transfer contents of the pan to a bowl. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve individual portions with a few whole fennel seeds sprinkled on top.

Yield: 4 or 5 servings.

From Food Editor Sarah Fritschner's 11/09/94"Inn-Spiration: Bed-and-Breakfasts Celebrate the Morning Meal with Zeal" article in "The (Louisville, KY) Courier-Journal." Pg. C6. Typed for you by Cathy Harned. Submitted By CATHY HARNED On 11-29-94

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